Marketing your Business: The Fundamentals

So you’ve created an amazing business that you think people will enjoy – fantastic! The next step should be identifying the type of person who will enjoy your product or service the most – your target customer.

A target customer isn’t a real individual walking around in the real world, but rather, the demographic profile of a large group of people! Think about it; who are they? Are they younger or older? Male or female? The list of demographic indicators goes on and on, and all of these will come into play as you market your product, as different types of people make decisions differently! Understanding your target customer, and what motivates their decision to buy is an essential type of marketing information.

Tools of the Trade:

Do you have social media pages set up yet? If so, these can give you fantastic insight into the people who are interested in your business.

Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offer fantastic analytics tools that will tell you in general terms about the people that visit your social media pages. If your visitors tend to come from a particular demographic, then speak to that group in language that they will appreciate! Additionally, keep track of the people who make purchases from your business! If they mostly come from one local area, then you can target your advertisements appropriately.

Go beyond your own pages, and explore communities that are dedicated to the interest area you sell within. If there is an online forum dedicated to artistic crocheting, and you sell wool and needles – visit that forum, participate and engage these audiences!

Not only will you discover how to improve your offerings, but you’ll also learn how to communicate better to that particular group of people. You’ll be able to pick up current keywords for advertising, learn the slang of your trade, and build further opportunities for marketing. Keywords in particular are important for digital marketing, which has become the cornerstone of effective marketing for small businesses.

Your Product, Your Message:

One you know who you want to be your customers, it’s time to set aside time and think about how you want these customers to see you. This is your brand, and it is the basis for all the messaging that you’ll be putting out in your marketing materials. If you’re selling t-shirts that are going to be sold at Pop Concerts, it’s probably best to have language that concertgoers relate to – no need to be too fussy or formal.

Alternatively, if you’re selling commemorative crafts for deceased individuals, maybe keep language more conservative. Ultimately, it’s about understanding your customers, and building a brand identity that they’ll like.

Another element of this is why they should shop with you specifically. There are probably other businesses selling similar products or services – ask yourself what makes your business unique, and why customers should choose you. Do you offer better quality materials? Greater customer support? An extended warranty?

All of these things are part of your brand, and can affect how customers interact with your business. Be aware of these branding components, and use them to your advantage to grow your sales.